The Injured Man
by Voluptuous Vamp
Summary: O/S for the Pick a Pic Challenge. Bella and her friend go for a routine hike in the mountains near Forks. She finds herself alone and scared before coming across someone who needs help more than she does.


_Pick A Pic Challenge_

_Title:_ The Injured Man**  
**_Penname:_ Voluptuous Vamp**  
**_Banner: _Entry #1 .com/albums/pp69/ms_ambrosia/pick_a_**  
**_Rating/ Disclaimer:_ M**  
**_Summary:_ Bella and her friend go for a routine hike in the mountains near Forks. She finds herself alone and scared before coming across someone who needs help more than she does.**  
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_To see all the stories that are a part __**of this contest please visit: www .fanfiction-challenges. blogspot. com**_

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"Don't look, Jacob. I mean it!" I shout at the bronze colored man in front of me.

"Oh, Bells, you know what it does to me when you use my full name," he says. He runs toward me at full speed from his position next to the waterfall. He starts off with an evil look on his face but cannot contain his laughter for more than a few steps. He wiggles the fingers on his outstretched hands toward me.

"No, Jake. Please! Don't touch me!" I scream as I realize his tickling intentions. My eyes dart around me, looking for escape. There's rock on one side of me, water behind me, and the lunging hooligan in front of me. It's times like these I'm thankful I'm such a quick thinker. A smile of my own spreads across my face as a plan come to mind. At the last possible second, I jump to my left and out of the way of Jake's massive form.

I double over with laughter as I hear a loud splash behind me. Sounds like he belly flopped. Ouch!

"Hey, no fair!" Jake sputters at me through a mouthful of water.

"You deserved it!" I yell at him.

"For what? You started it."

I just laugh and stick my tongue out at the Indian man. We always end up fighting and picking on each other like a brother and sister. I find myself reverting back to doing childish things when I'm around him, i.e. the tongue thing.

Jake and I have been friends ever since I moved to Washington five years ago. He's the son of my dad's best friend, Billy Black. I believe they introduced Jake and I with the intentions of 'hooking us up.' Unfortunately for all parties involved, Jake and I got food poisoning from the Thai restaurant we ate at on our first date. There's nothing more romantic then having to pull over, sometimes on the side of the road, so your body can empty your stomach through whichever orifice it sees fit.

Somehow Jake managed to find the hilarity in the situation and had me laughing most of the night. He quickly became one of the best friends I have ever had.

I've always been sort of a tomboy; I think that's part of the reason Jake and I are such a good pair. Instead of playing with dolls, I played baseball or climbed trees. The latter childhood past-time has flourished into a full-time recreational activity for me. Hiking in the vast forests near Forks is something Jake and I do on a regular basis. I can't get enough of the towering trees, moss covered rocks, and random streams and ponds that we find. Today, Jake and I were lucky enough to come across a waterfall near the bottom of a rocky area we were planning to hike up.

"Since you're already occupying this area," I say, motioning around and to the pool of water Jake is now wadding in, "I'm going around the other side of the rocks. Please, don't come over there."

"Bells," Jake starts, climbing out of the pond, "stop worrying about me. If you don't get out of here within the next 30 seconds, you're going to catch an eyeful of something that's going to ruin all other men for you." He finishes his statement by throwing his soaked t-shirt at me and unbuttoning his pants.

"Alright, I'm out of here because I'm sure the sight would force me to ruin any chance you have with prospective women. If I can stop you from disappointing just one helpless girl, I will damn it!" I pound a fist into my open hand in mock determination and he just laughs at me.

I grab my pack from its resting place on a fallen tree and head around the natural rock divider in the pool of water made by the fall. Nature never ceases to amaze me. The waterfall must be twenty or thirty feet high - not too big, but definitely not too small. About six feet down from the apex, a portion of dark brown rock begins to jut out, cutting the waterfall in two. The rock continues down the length of the fall, before fanning out at the bottom and creating a plateau of sorts. It's so beautiful I lose myself in it, and I have to remind myself what I'm doing.

Jake and I have been hiking for the better part of the day. It's summer in Washington and the heat added to the mugginess is almost unbearable at times. We were overjoyed to find this little oasis, giving ourselves some time to cool down and relax before continuing our hike up the large ridge. With one last check behind me to make sure I'm well hidden from Jake, I strip down and eagerly jump into the refreshing water.

Thankfully the water is quite deep and I'm able to stretch my muscles in a way they're not normally used. I can't remember the last time I went swimming in a pool that wasn't three feet deep. I dive underwater and try to hold my breath for as long as possible. Looking up from beneath the surface, I can see the bright sun shining from behind a cloud. All of a sudden a mass of brown hair clouds my vision, and I swallow a mouthful of water trying to scream. I scramble for the surface, choking and gasping for air when I reach it.

"God damn it, Jake!" I shout. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

My eyes search the water and nearby rock for a sign of the son-of-a-bitch. But I see no one, just the canvas of green, brown, and blue that was there before I went under the water.

"Come out, come out, where ever you are!" I taunt. I see a flash a movement to my left, behind the waterfall. How the hell could he have gotten there? Another flicker of movement straight ahead of me pulls my eyes to something I hadn't seen before. About a hundred feet up the cliff is a little cave.

I'm instantly afraid, but I don't know why. I can feel my breathing increase. My ears are listening for the slightest sound. The water suddenly seems cold, causing me to shiver. Where's Jake? I have to find Jake. Those are the only thoughts on my mind as I scurrying out of the water, haphazardly throwing my clothes on over my still dripping wet body. I run as fast as I can to the other side of the rock. In my haste I fall, cutting my leg on a sharp, jagged stone.

"Fuck!" I yell out, fear and panic causing me to verbalize my frustration.

I reach the spot where I last saw Jake, and he's nowhere to be found. His shoes are on the ground, and his wet shirt still hangs on the branch that caught it when he threw it at me.

"Jacob Samuel Black, you get out here right now!" I know I sound like a mom right now, but I couldn't care less. My heart is beating faster every second I'm alone out here. My mind is running wild and I can't focus on anything long enough to figure out what to do. _Jake, Jake, Jake,_ is being chanted in my head and I just want to ...

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I hear the scream and I'm once again frozen with fear. It's coming from the direction of that dark cave. I don't want to go over there. What I want to do is find Jake's pack, break out the satellite phone, call my daddy like a little girl, and curl up into the foetal position and wait for him or someone else to come and rescue me.

"Jake!" I scream one final time. Tears are streaming down my face as I force my feet north toward the cavern. The whole way there I'm still looking from left to right, searching for my friend. I don't understand how he could have gotten up to the cave so quickly, unless he started as soon as I left him in the water.

Fifteen minutes later, I finally reach the cave. I feel weak; my leg is sore and my head is throbbing. I'm silently praying to whatever god will listen that Jake is here. What he's doing I have no idea and he's going to get a kick in the ass when I find him.

"Hello?" My voice echoes around the cave. It's less of a cave and more a hole in the side of the cliff. It's shallow, probably 20 feet deep, and not much wider than my outstretched arms. It's damp and smells old and almost rotten, like some animal crawled inside and died.

The sun moves behind me and reflects off something half way down the cave. It moves out of the light, and I find that I am not alone in this dark space. I reach inside my pack and bring out a flashlight, searching for whatever else is in here. When my eyes finally land on what I'm looking for, I drop my light, my hands covering my mouth so stop a scream from escaping.

There in front of me is a man. A very naked, very white man. He's curled around his legs, cowering and shaking in a corner. He looks filthy and terrified. His hair is matted and stuck to his face.

"Hello?" I repeat and take a step forward. His only response is a whimper and he struggles to move further into his corner.

"Ok, I'll stay here. Are you alright?" He shakes his head, but does nothing that will tell me what's wrong with him.

"I'm Bella," I say, trying to make him feel comfortable. "What happened to you? Did you fall?"

Nothing.

"Are you in pain? Is there anything I can do for you?" He turns toward me and nods his head, another sound of discomfort escaping his lips. He looks thin and weak, like he's been here for ages, unable to move, just waiting for someone to come and rescue him.

"What's your name?" I question, wanting to know who this wounded man is that has been thrust into my life so some reason. I stare at him, trying to figure out what the hell happened to him and why he's here of all places, on the same day that I am. This area is so remote the likelihood of him being found slim to none. It's as if I was meant to find him.

I feel like I'm waiting an hour for him to answer.

"Edward," he finally speaks, and I can't believe my ears. His voice is like nothing I've ever heard before. It rings around the cave like symbols. My feet start to move of their own volition toward this Edward.

"Please, help me," he pleads. I'm on my hands and knees right next to him as soon as the beautiful words leave his lips. Now that I am close enough, I can see that he's practically covered in blood. I have to help this man, but what am I going to do? My breathing picks up as my mind tries to figure out how to help him and comes up with nothing. Oh, if only Jake were ...

"Jake!" How the hell could I have forgotten about him? The man in front of me seems to recoil at my yelling.

"Edward," I say, lowering my voice and speaking to him like I would a child. "I need to find my friend. He'll know what to do. He –"

"He went ... to get a signal," Edward whispers. I automatically let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank God. Now, let me see if you're still bleeding. I'm sorry, I don't really know what I'm doing, but maybe if I –" As I lean closer to his body to inspect his wounds, the most beautiful smell assaults my nose, causing me to lose my train of thought. It's vanilla, sugar, and mint all mixed into one. I look up at the source's face.

In the dim light of the cavern I can barely make out his facial features, but I can see enough to know that he's attractive. I can feel a pull toward him that I haven't felt with any one before. Simply being in his presence has my heart beating faster, wanting him to touch me. Who is this man?

"Bella," he speaks my name and I gasp. His hand reaches toward my face and I don't even care that it's covered in blood. Our skin makes contact, and I shiver and close my eyes in girlish anticipation. I can feel his breath on my neck now. I'm so wound up I feel as though I may pass out. His lips are on my now, and the pain is ecstasy.

**EPOV**

Stupid humans. Will they ever learn? I certainly hope not.

The 'injured man' is one of my favorite games to play. It's ridiculously enjoyable and arousing for me. When the brunette came in I couldn't decide whether I wanted to seduce her or quickly drink her dry. Even after feasting on her friend, her scent drove me wild. After a few minutes in her presence, I couldn't have been bothered with sex when the wonder of how delicious she would taste was on my mind.

As I feel her body go limp, I drop the lifeless corpse to the floor. I shameless lick all of her off my fingers, not wanting to miss a drop of my tasty meal. Now, what to do with the body now that it's mine? A laugh escapes my lips as I decide what to do with her.

"Oh, Bella, you really were the perfect toy for me today."


End file.
